Golf club protective cover

ABSTRACT

A golf club protective cover is proposed which can protect golf clubs in a golf bag and the hood of the golf bag from damage resulting from e.g. rough handling of the golf bag or the fall of the golf bag. The cover includes an outer bag having a single opening and an inner bag having a single opening and inserted in the outer bag. The edges defining the openings of the outer and inner edges are fused together to define a hermetically sealed air chamber between the outer and inner bags. Either of the outer and inner bags is formed of a flexible, airtight sheet. The outer bag has an air valve through which air can be introduced into and discharged from the air chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a protective cover for preventing damage to golf clubs in a golf bag and its hood.

[0002] Golf clubs are usually loosely put in a golf bag. If a golf bag falls and hits hard against the ground, the head of a golf club or two in the golf bag may be damaged, a shaft may be broken, or the hood may be torn.

[0003] Many golfers nowadays send their golf clubs separately to their destination instead of hand-carrying them. During transportion, golf bags may be handled roughly at airports, truck terminals, etc. This may cause damage to golf club heads or shafts or golf bag hood.

[0004] One way to prevent such damage is to wrap cloth or newspapers around each golf club in a golf bag and/or stuff the space in the golf bag with bulky material. JP utility model publication 7-22767 proposes a tubular cushioning material to be disposed in the space between the golf clubs and the head cover.

[0005] But head covers alone cannot prevent movement of golf clubs in a golf bag, and thus cannot sufficiently protect the golf clubs or the golf bag hood if the golf bag should fall.

[0006] Wrapping cloth and newspaper around each golf club and/or stuffing the space in the golf bag with a bulky material requires some skill and time to provide the required protection. After use, one will have trouble in disposing of these bulky stuffing material.

[0007] An object of the invention is to provide a golf club protective cover which can protect golf clubs in a golf bag and the hood of the golf bag from damage resulting from rough handling of the golf bag or the fall of the golf bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to this invention, there is provided a golf club protective cover comprising an outer bag having a single opening, and an inner bag having a single opening and inserted in the outer bag with its edge defining the opening fused to the edge of the outer bag defining the opening to define a hermetically sealed air chamber between the outer bag and the inner bag, the outer and inner bags being formed of a flexible, airtight sheet, the outer bag having an air valve through which air can be introduced into and discharged from the air chamber.

[0009] According to the present invention, there is also provided the outer bag and the inner bag are formed by putting one sheet for the outer bag on another sheet for the inner bag with all sides aligned with each other, folding them in two with the sheet for the outer bag outside, fusing together the side edges (four) of the two sheets at both sides, and fusing together the end edges of the two sheets at two positions separately to form a hermetically sealed air chamber.

[0010] The outer and inner bags are preferably formed of a sufficiently thick and flexible synthetic resin such as vinyl so that when the cover is inflated, the inner bag is deformed along the contour of the golf club heads, thereby softly but stably embracing the golf club heads and preventing them from moving relative to each other. When the hood is put over the inflated cover, the pressurized air chamber serves as a cushion disposed between the hood and the golf club heads to protect both the hood and the golf club heads from damage resulting from rough handling of the golf bag or the fall of the golf bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Other features and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012]FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view of the protective cover embodying the invention;

[0013]FIG. 2A is a sectional side view along line a-a of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 2B is a sectional plan view along line b-b of FIG. 1; and

[0015]FIG. 3 is a sectional front view of the protective cover of FIG. 1 showing how it is used to protect the heads of golf clubs in a golf bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Now referring to the drawings, which show a single embodiment of the invention, the protective cover 1 of the present invention comprises an outer bag 2 having a single opening at its bottom, and an inner bag 3 having a single opening at its bottom and inserted in the outer bag 2 with its edge defining its opening fused or otherwise joined to the edge of the outer bag defining its opening to define a hermetically sealed air chamber 4 between the bags 2 and 3. Either of the bags 2 and 3 is formed of a flexible, airtight sheet. The outer bag 2 has an air valve 5 through which air can be supplied into and discharged from the air chamber 4.

[0017] The sheets forming the bags 2 and 3 have to be sufficiently thick but sufficiently flexible and airtight at the same time. They are preferably made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin such as vinyl. Their heights and widths have to be determined such that the heads of all of the clubs protruding from a golf bag A are covered in the inner bag as shown in FIG. 3. That is, the inner bag has to be wide and high enough so that the head of the tallest club (driver) B1 and the head of the shortest club (putter) B2 will be inserted in the inner bag. On the other hand, the outer bag 2 should be so small as to be contained in the hood C of the golf bag even when it is fully inflated, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0018] In the embodiment, the protective cover 1 is manufactured by putting one sheet 2 a for the outer bag 2 on another sheet 3 a for the inner bag 3 with all sides aligned with each other, folding them in two with the sheet 2 a for the outer bag 2 outside, fusing together the side edges (four) of the sheets 2 a and 3 a at both sides at a in FIG. 2B, and fusing together the end edges of the sheets 2 a and 3 a at two positions separately, as shown at b in FIG. 2A. By fusing both at the side edges and the end edges, a hermetically sealed air chamber 4, which has an inverted U-shaped vertical section, is formed.

[0019] When air is discharged, the protective cover 1 becomes a substantially flat square bag as shown in FIG. 1. Such a flat bag can be folded neatly and stored in a small space.

[0020] The inner bag 3 is fused to the outer bag 2 at both side edges and end edges, but not fused at top end and at other portions than the sides and bottom end as shown in FIG. 2A.

[0021] The air valve 5 may be provided not at the top of the outer bag 2 as shown but at any desired portion.

[0022] In use, the mouth of the protective cover 1, which is defined by the fused end edges of the outer and inner bags, is opened, and the cover 1 is put on top of a golf bag A with its mouth downward until all the club heads B (including the driver B1 and the putter B2) are in the cover 1. Then, air is introduced through the valve 5 into the air chamber 4 until the outer bag 2 is fully inflated, and the valve 5 is closed.

[0023] When air is introduced into the air chamber 4 until the outer bag is fully inflated, the inner pressure of the air chamber 4 increases and the inner bag 3 is deformed along the contour of the club heads B as shown in FIG. 3, thereby “binding” the club heads B together so that the club heads cannot move relative to each other. With the outer bag 2 fully inflated, the hood C is put over the protective cover 1.

[0024] In this state, the air chamber 4 serves as a pressurized air cushion to support the hood C from inside, thus protecting the hood C and the club heads B against external impacts inflicted if e.g. the golf bag falls or is handled roughly.

[0025] Simply by opening the air valve 5, the cover 1 will deflate to the original flat shape. In this state, the cover 1 can be removed from the club heads by pulling it up. The deflated flat cover 1 can be folded to a small size, which can then be easily put in e.g. a pocket of the golf bag A.

[0026] By inflating the cover, the inner bag embraces the club heads so that they will not move relative to each other. The outer bag supports the hood of the golf bag from inside. As a whole, the protective cover protects both the hood of the golf bag and the heads of the golf clubs in the golf bag from external shock inflicted if the golf bag falls or is handled roughly.

[0027] By opening the air valve, the protective cover deflates to the original flat shape. The deflated flat cover 1 can be folded to a small size and can be put in a pocket of the golf bag. The cover can be used repeatedly. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf club protective cover. comprising an outer bag having a single opening, and an inner bag having a single opening and inserted in said outer bag with its edge defining said opening fused to the edge of said outer bag defining said opening to define a hermetically sealed air chamber between said outer bag and said inner bag, said outer and inner bags being formed of a flexible, airtight sheet, said outer bag having an air valve through which air can be introduced into and discharged from said air chamber.
 2. The golf club protective cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outer bag and said inner bag are formed by putting one sheet for said outer bag on another sheet for said inner bag with all sides aligned with each other, folding them in two with the sheet for said outer bag outside, fusing together the side edges (four) of the two sheets at both sides, and fusing together the end edges of the two sheets at two positions separately to form a hermetically sealed air chamber. 